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INterview with NZ's Trent Woodcock in ANZA magazine

By the International team on August 10, 2010

Trent Woodcock

Age 17,

Trent will compete with New Zealand’s cycling team. In an unusual twist, he will join two events: the BMX match and the road race. Trent has already won numerous national BMX titles and was a World Champion at only eleven years old.

What do you think is the signi

fi cance of this fi rst Youth Olympics?

It’s giving future Olympian hopefuls the chance to compete and taste the big event environment. Being a

pretty special to be a part of the Youth Olympics, and it’s good to see more kids taking part in sports.

BMX is a 40-to-50 second sprint over dirt jumps, a bit like motocross but we have to pedal. We race against seven riders over a 350-metre racetrack, with jumps up to 10 metres long. The tracks now are getting really big, as seen at the 2008 Olympics.

How does it differ from mountain biking?

BMX is over really quick, whereas mountain biking goes for 15 to 20 minutes through a forest course. BMX bikes are a lot different – we have 20-inch wheels, theirs are 26 inches. But we wear the same protective gear as we both hit some pretty fast speeds.

How have you balanced training for a sport at this level while going to school?

My school work has suffered a bit due to my travelling. I try to catch up when I’m back in class. Training is tough and I’m trying to

BMX, I focus more on my school stuff. When I’m happy at school it shows in my training and riding.

You’re competing both in BMX and road racing for these Games. Are you just as comfortable with the road events?

Road racing is new to me. Everything about it is different from BMX – there’s no speci

Did your skills come from just having fun on the bikes and getting good at it, or does training really entail gruelling
work and sacri

mind giving road and track a shot in the future. For now, I’m comfortable with the BMX as I’ve been riding for twelve years.

BMX is a really skillful sport. It is a lot of fun, but you also need to know how to handle the bike well. I train pretty much every day, from track-work to sprints to the gym. Skill is picked up from just riding every day, but the

You’ve become quite accomplished for your age.

of racing are a lot of hard work, and sometimes a lot of hard crashes.

Yeah, I won a World Title in Paris in 2005. This year I won my New

A lot of parents would be worried about their kids getting involved with risky sports. Were your parents always supportive, or was there a point where they tried to discourage you from racing?

Zealand National title, and I’ve come close in a couple others.

My parents didn’t want me to ride motocross, so they got me into BMX. They have been a great support. They’ve given me the chance to see the world while doing what I love. In the past couple of years, Dad has wondered if I should take up rugby or another sport, as I’ve had a couple of bad crashes. Here’s hoping that’s in the past.

What do you imagine you’d be doing if you weren’t training as an athlete?

Doing what my other mates are doing, maybe playing rugby, basketball. It seems weird to think about. I’ve been training and racing for so long now it just seems normal.

What are your future ambitions?

I hope to compete in the London Olympic Games in 2012, but the next two years will be a challenge to qualify.

Have you been to Singapore?

I have been to a lot of countries but not Singapore. I’ve been told it’s really hot. From what I’ve seen in magazines, it looks like a really cool place. I’m really looking forward to being there.

Tell us a bit about what BMX biking is.